The idea for early-stage companies to share facilities in a business incubator became popular in the late 1970s. In 1980, approximately 12 business incubators were operating in the United States. These incubators offered startups, entrepreneurs and small businesses the support, expertise and tools necessary to succeed in increasingly competitive markets. They're also driving high return on investment doing so.
A popular Connecticut study entitled Business Incubation: A Key ingredient to Economic Growth and Recovery, argued business incubators as a “best value” in economic development, based on low program costs and a high return on investment to communities. The ROI of public investment was calculated at $4.96 for every $1 of public operating subsidy.
